IS XIAO-ER...?
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After that, Lin Xiao asked for Wang Zan to lead him to where Long Yinlian is. When they arrived at Long Yinlian’s temporary abode, they saw that there was still light inside the room. This shows that Long Yinlian was still not asleep. After all, sleeping with the candles still alight is very dangerous.
Lin Xiao glanced at An Yi before gesturing for him to stay and keep quiet. Only then did he raise his hand and gently knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” came the immediate inquiry from Long Yinlian.
“Shizun, it’s me.”
Inside the room, Long Yinlian had been restless and when he heard the knock, he couldn’t help but feel anxious. He wanted it to be Lin Xiao but at the same time, he didn’t want to get his hope up. Though Bai Chenyi had already told him that Lin Xiao is alright, as long as he still haven’t heard from him in person, he will still be worried.
It was only when he heard Lin Xiao’s voice did he feel the heavy rock that has been pressing on his chest lifted up. “Xiao-er?” he called out as he walked over to the door. He reached out his hand and fumbled over the door until he found the latch. When he opened the door, he felt a gust of wind and before long, a person had thrown themselves into his arm.
It was a familiar presence and the moment he came in contact with the person, Long Yinlian immediately knew who it was. His body relaxed as he then wrapped his arms around Lin Xiao. “I’m glad you’re safe…” he murmured softly. His voice was gentle and filled Lin Xiao’s heart with warmth.
Then, Lin Xiao could feel his eyes were getting watery. “Shizun…” he called out softly.
Though it was soft, but Long Yinlian noticed how shaky Lin Xiao’s voice was. Paired with how the young man is acting, he quickly figured out that there was something wrong.
“Xiao-er, what’s wrong?” he asked in a worried tone. But Lin Xiao did not respond immediately. Instead, Lin Xiao merely tightened his arms around Long Yinlian. Like this, he looks like a child in front of the others eyes.
“Xiao-er…?” Long Yinlian is now getting more worried. He wanted Lin Xiao to tell him his trouble. He wanted to ask in more detail be knew that he won’t be able to unless the ‘two’ outsiders leave them alone.
“My apologies, but may this humble ones ask the honourable you to leave us alone?” Long Yinlian suddenly said to An Yi who had been quiet. “And please, bring the others along.”
An Yi was surprised by how Long Yinlian addressed him. He thought that he should explain his identity to Long Yinlian but seeing Lin Xiao’s current state, he felt that he should let the two talk alone. So, he glanced over at a tree where An Er was hiding and gestured for him to leave before he excused himself.
Once the two shadow guards made themselves scarce, Long Yinlian focused on Lin Xiao. He raised his hand to gently caress Lin Xiao’s head. “Xiao-er, let’s go inside first. The night wind is not good for the body,” Long Yinlian said after a while.
He could feel Lin Xiao nods his head but the young man did not let go of him. He continued to stick their body together, making Long Yinlian feels helpless. In the end, Long Yinlian could only drag Lin Xiao inside carefully, before telling Wang Zan to come inside to sleep. Only then did he close the door.
“Did the Emperor… bully you?” he asked with a slight uncertainty once the door was closed shut. And as soon as the question left his lips, he could feel the young man stiffened.
After being asked straight to the point like this, what else was Lin Xiao supposed to say? But this matter was related to the Emperor so even if Lin Xiao wants to complain, he still have to make sure that no harm will come to Long Yinlian.
“I…” Lin Xiao knew that he couldn’t stay quiet for long unless he wants Long Yinlian to worry even more. With a heavy sigh, he tightened his hold around Long Yinlian’s waist. “Shizun, can you call out my name?”
“Xiao-er?”
“Mn. Again…”
“Xiao…-er?” Long Yinlian was feeling slightly confused. By now, he already knew that there is something that happened between Lin Xiao and the Emperor.
Lin Xiao had only wanted to hear someone he knew call his name, as a confirmation of his own existence. To know that he is real. But the more he affirmed himself of his existence, the more fearful he became. ‘What if they were right and I am indeed Li Fangming? What happened when memories that I have forgotten return? Won’t I… disappear?’ such thought filled his mind and Lin Xiao became even more distressed.
“Shizun… Say it again, please…” Lin Xiao’s voice sounded slightly hoarse as he forced the word out. There was a lump on his throat as he tried to force himself not to cry.
Hearing the plea from Lin Xiao, Long Yinlian’s heart broke. It must be said that though the time he had with Lin Xiao is a mere two, short years, he already knew that Lin Xiao is the kind of person who doesn’t like to beg. If he ever wants something, he will work for it. He might haggle, but never will he beg. So, when he heard Lin Xiao utter the word ‘please’, he knew that the matter is more serious than he originally thought.
“Xiao-er, what’s wrong? Tell me what made you this way,” Long Yinlian said in a soft, gentle voice as he coaxed Lin Xiao to confide in him.
But Lin Xiao merely shook his head. Long Yinlian was about to say something when he felt Lin Xiao body shook. Then, he felt that the thin clothes of his sleeping robe had became wet and knew that Lin Xiao was actually crying.
Long Yinlian felt that things shouldn’t be dragged on like this so he softly whispered to Lin Xiao that they should at least take a seat rather than standing in front of the door like this. Lin Xiao agreed, but still refused to let go.
Thus, despite the awkwardness, Long Yinlian let Lin Xiao stuck close to him as they walk towards the daybed. Once they took a seat, Lin Xiao once again buried his face on Long Yinlian’s face. This time, it was Long Yinlian’s turn to let out a heavy sigh as he raised up his hand and gently stroked Lin Xiao on his head. He didn’t say anything and simply let Lin Xiao cry out his heart.
Only when he felt that the shaking has stopped did he finally gave Lin Xiao to pats on the back.
“This little son is acting spoiled,” Long Yinlian said in a joking tone.
“Your son is only acting spoiled with you…” Lin Xiao replied, playing along as he wiped the tears off his face. He then looked at the stains that was left on Long Yinlian’s clothes and felt embarrassed. ‘At least, I didn’t leave a snot…’
“Then, shouldn’t you depend more on your father? Or is it that you think I am not reliable?” Long Yinlian’s voice snapped Lin Xiao out of his small thought.
It took Lin Xiao a while to realize that he was caught in a trap. Looking up, he actually saw that Long Yinlian was serious. In all honesty, he really wanted to pour out all of his dissatisfaction today for Long Yinlian to hear. But he hesitated, fearing that danger would come to this person whom he already thought of as his father.
After all, his carelessly loose tongue had almost endangered Long Yinlian just the night before. Fortunately, the Huang family only managed to capture him.
“It isn’t that Shizun is not reliable. Lin Xiao is only afraid that your life will be in danger.”
“So I am unreliable in your eyes?” Long Yinlian asked. If he could see right now, he would be able to witness Lin Xiao’s stupefied expression. Unfortunately, his sight were damaged to the point of blindness.
“Shizun…” Lin Xiao ends up whining. “You know that is not what I meant…” Lin Xiao said with a pout. Though he was still reluctant, Lin Xiao knew that if Long Yinlian could not find out what was wrong from him, the older man would probably go find the Emperor himself.
“If I tell you… will you promise not to laugh?” he asked the older male.
It was only when Long Yinlian gave him his promise did he relented. He began to narrate to his father figure about what happened just a few hours ago, including the time when the Emperor took advantage of him.
“He did all those things and then call out someone else! In just those few moments, I suffered humiliation twice!” Lin Xiao complained out loud. “Shizun! Tell me, am I Li Fangming or am I Lin Xiao?”
“…” Long Yinlian was rendered speechless. He did not expect that the crux of the matter was actually Lin Xiao’s identity. ‘But why does it sounds like Xiao-er is eating vinegars rather than angry?’